One-piece runner for collapsible umbrellas

ABSTRACT

A one-piece runner for use on a collapsible umbrella having a telescopic stick in which the stick includes a lower section telescopic into an upper tubular stick section having a lateral orientation opening for positioning the runner in a relatively fixed position on the stick; the runner including an integrally molded resilient tongue normally biased inwardly and having an upper head engageable in the opening when alligned with therewith; the head having a camming surface disposed in the path of travel of the lower telescopic stick section whereby the lower stick section will disengage the head from the opening and permit the runner to move on the stick.

United States Patent Weber Sept. 5, 1972 [54] ONE-PIECE RUNNER FOR COLLAPSIBLE UMBRELLAS [72] Inventor: Heinz Weber, Durerweg 8, 401 Hilden, Germany 22 Filed: July 22,1970

21 Appl.No.: 57,204

52 US. Cl ..l35/28, 135/38 51 Int. Cl. ..A45b 25/06 [58] Field of Search ..135/20, 22-28, 135 29, 38-43 [56] References Cited UNITED sTATEs PATENTs 2,775,977 1/1957 Haupt 4135/26 2,194,389 3/1940 Haupt ..I35/31 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 20,634 10/1894 Great Britain ..135/4l 1,515,169 1/1968 France ..135/28 Primary Examiner-J. Karl Bell AttorneyAlan Swabey [5 7] ABSTRACT A one-piece runner for use on a collapsible umbrella having a telescopic stick in which the stick includes a lower section telescopic into an vupper tubular stick section having a lateral orientation opening for positioning the runner in a relatively fixed position on the stick; the runner including an integrally molded resilient tongue normally biased inwardly and having an upper head engageable in the opening when alligned with therewith; the head having a camming surface disposed in the path of travel of the lower telescopic stick section whereby the lower stick section will disengage the head from the opening and permit the runner to move on the stick.

3 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures PATENT ED 5 I973 3. 688, 788

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, VSHEEI 30F 3 l LTII INVENTOR Heinz WEBER Qua ONE-PIECE RUNNER FOR COLLAPSIBLE UMBRELLAS BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 1 Field of Invention The present invention relates to an umbrella and particularly to an improved runner for use with a telescopic umbrella.

2. Description of Prior Art In the construction of telescopic umbrellas, in particular the three-stage telescopic umbrella as described in United States application Ser. No. 35,184, Heinz Weber, filed May 6, I970, it is of advantage to set up a triangular structure between the dome ribs and the support structure for the dome ribs. The support structure is connected to an auxiliary runner between the main runner and the crown of the umbrella. In order to accomplish this, it is necessary to space the auxiliary runner from the crown since the stick length between the auxiliary runner and the crown will form the base of the so-formed triangular structure.

It has been proposed to use an ordinary tubular spacer of the required length to ride on the telescopic stick between the crown and the auxiliary runner. However, spacers only add to the steps of assembling the umbrella, and therefore, to the cost.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is an aim of the present invention to provide an auxiliary runner in combination with a telescopic stick on which it slides whereby releasable locking means will be provided on the auxiliary runner cooperating with the telescopic stick so that the auxiliary runner will stop at a distance from the crown when it is being opened but will readily slide downwardly along the telescopic stick when the umbrella is being closed.

A construction in accordance with the present invention includes an auxiliary runner including a spring pawl having an abutment surface towards the top thereof and a sloped sliding surface towards the bottom of the runner. This pawl cooperates with an opening provided in the telescopic stick at the prescribed distance from the crown. The auxiliary runner can also, of course, be released from its locking position by telescoping the telescopic stick so the inner tubular section of the stick will engage the sloped surface of the locking pawl and disengage the pawl from the opening of the stick.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Having thus generally described the nature of the invention, particular reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of one embodiment of the present invention, the frame of which is shown in an open extended position;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged partial view of the frame of the umbrella shown schematically in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial elevation view of the umbrella, partly in cross section;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of a detail of the umbrella taken along lines 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a elevational view of the detail shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a vertical cross section of the auxilliary runner detail of the umbrella;

FIG. 7 is a transverse cross section taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a cross section similar to FIG. 6 showing the detail of FIG. 6 in a different position; and

FIG. 9 is a transverse cross section taken along lines 9-9 of FIG. 8.

The telescopic umbrella shown in the drawings includes a telescoping umbrella stick 1 consisting of tubular sections 2 and 3, the latter being made as the internal tubular section..

The stick 1 can be secured in the extended position by means of'the usual ball and spring catch 4.

Located at the end of tube 3 is a carrying handle 5 provided in normal fashion with an annular recess for the accommodation of free ends of dome ribs 6.

Main number 7 and auxiliary runner 8 slide on the umbrella stick 1. Tubular section 2 mounts a crown 9 to which dome ribs 6 are hinged.

Each dome rib 6 consists of three sections of approximately the same length, namely inner section near the crown of the umbrella, central section 6b and outer section 60. The sections telescope into each other. Whereas a U-shaped cross section is preferred for sections 6a and 6b, outer section 6c is made of a material of circular cross section.

A support system is associated with each dome rib 6.

This support system comprises the following components: a stretcher member 10 hinged to the auxiliary runner 8, link 12, and stretcher member 13. Strut 11 is hinged to main runner 7.

When the umbrella is opened, stretchers l0 and 13 extend almost in a straight line in relation to each other, i.e. in their operative position, the said struts act as a single support strut. Both are made of U-shaped section, with the open flanges extending in opposite directions.

Stretcher 13 has an extension 38 extending towards the umbrella stick from pin 17 to support the locked extended position assumed by stretchers I0, 13.

One end of link 39, which is made of wire of circular cross section, is hooked to web 40 which has a corresponding opening 41, while the other end of the link 39 is hinged in the U-shaped internal space 42 of strut 11 by means of an inwardly punched projection 11'. The end of the link is shaped into an eye. The link is also bowed slightly outwards (FIG. 5).

When the umbrella is open, auxiliary runner 8 is at a relatively short distance away from crown 9. In its terminal position it engages against an abutment 43 on outer tube 2 of the umbrella stick.

Stop 43 is the edge nearest the umbrella crown of a recess 44 in tube 2.

A spring pawl 45 serves as the catch means for securing the position assumed. The said pawl is a tongue out out of the wall 8' of the auxiliary runner sleeve. The pawl operates in the manner of a trap, whereby the head 46 resiliently passes into recess 44. No separate spring is required, since the material (plastic) has adequate inherent resilience. Head 46 exhibits a sloped surface 47. This extends over two-thirds of the length of the head 46 and, after reaching the highest level of projection, slopes back towards the axis of the stick as far as abutting surface 48 which cooperates with stop edge 43.

The locked position according to FIG. 6 may be released according to FIG. 8, and after l insert --i.e. telescoping stick section 3 into stick section 2 by shortening the umbrella stick 1. According to FIG. 8, and after 1 insert i.e., telescoping stick section 3 into stick section 2.

l. A one-piece runner for use on the telescopic stick of a collapsible umbrella, said stick comprising an upper tubular section having a lateral opening including an upper abutment portion for orienting the runner on said stick, said stick including a lower section telescopically received in said upper section and movable past said opening when telescoped thereinto, said runner comprising a tubular portion and means for connection to support structure of umbrella frame support structure, said tubular runner portion including an integral resilient tongue normally biased inwardly toward said stick, said tongue including a head removably biased into said opening of the upper stick section by said resilient tongue and having an abutment portion engageable with the abutment portion of said opening, said head having a camming surface spaced 'from the abutment portion of said head and positionaw cut out from the wall of the sleeve of said runner and is inherently resilient to engage the opening provided in the stick.

3. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said camming surface is an inwardly-inclined surface extending from the inner surface of the resilient tongue to a point spaced below the abutment portion on said head.

. with...

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PQ LBIIELQTE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,688,788 Dated September 5, 1972 InvenwflK) HEINZ WEBER It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Heinz Weber, Hilden, Rhineland, Germany, assignor to Telesco Brophey, Limited, Montreal, v Canada, a corporago pf Caiiada Claiins priority, applications Germany, July 26, 1969 G 69 29 500.7 and P 19 37: 888.2

Signed and sealed this 22nd day of May 1973,

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETCHER,JR. ROBERT GOTTSCHALK Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-1050 (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376 P69 U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: (969 0-366-33 

1. A one-piece runner for use on the telescopic stick of a collapsible umbrella, said stick comprising an upper tubular section having a lateral opening including an upper abutment portion for orienting the runner on said stick, said stick including a lower section telescopically received in said upper section and movable past said opening when Telescoped thereinto, said runner comprising a tubular portion and means for connection to support structure of umbrella frame support structure, said tubular runner portion including an integral resilient tongue normally biased inwardly toward said stick, said tongue including a head removably biased into said opening of the upper stick section by said resilient tongue and having an abutment portion engageable with the abutment portion of said opening, said head having a camming surface spaced from the abutment portion of said head and positionable in the upper stick section in the path of travel of said lower stick section whereby when the umbrella is ''''open'''' the runner is retained in a relatively fixed position on said upper stick section, and telescoping of the lower stick section into the upper stick section and the engagement of the lower stick section with the camming surface causes the abutment portions to disengage and permits the runner to move on the stick.
 2. A runner as defined in claim 1 wherein the runner is molded of resilient plastic material and the pawl is cut out from the wall of the sleeve of said runner and is inherently resilient to engage the opening provided in the stick.
 3. The structure as claimed in claim 1 in which said camming surface is an inwardly-inclined surface extending from the inner surface of the resilient tongue to a point spaced below the abutment portion on said head. 